Let's step up to clean up
With bushfires, drought and even floods, it has been a terrible time for so many people right across the country; but one thing that has become abundantly clear over the recent weeks is that Australians everywhere are now expressing an urgency and willingness to come together to clean up, fix up and conserve our environment.
On Sunday, March 1, you have a chance to roll up your sleeves and step up to help on Clean up Australia Day 2020.
The annual event aims to inspire and empower individuals and communities to take positive steps that make a difference - not just on Clean Up Australia Day but all year round.
Clean Up Australia chairman Pip Kiernan said Australia creates 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year.
Only 12 per cent of this is recycled with the rest ending up in our parks, roadsides, bush, waterways, oceans or in landfill as rubbish.
"We are calling on Australians to step up to clean up, and join us on Sunday, March 1 to collect as much of this waste as we can before it causes harm," Ms Kiernan said.
Clean Up Australia Day is the nation's largest community-based mobilisation event, and last year more than 680,000 volunteers removed over 15,000 ute loads of rubbish from the 6901 registered locations across the country.
"It's our 30th anniversary in 2020," Ms Kiernan said. "To celebrate that milestone, we'd love to see 700,000 Australians cleaning up at 8000 sites nationally on March 1."
Do you know, over the years, 17.7 million Australians have donated their time as part of Clean Up Australia Day activities? That equates to 35 million hours of volunteer time, removing more than 365,000 ute loads of rubbish from the environment.
Clean Up Australia is more than just volunteers picking up rubbish. The charity works with communities, businesses, schools and governments all year round to reduce waste and fix waste problems.
"For 30 years now we've been cleaning up Australia. But Australians are creating more waste than ever, so we need more help. If people are unable to join a Clean Up on March 1, they can step up by donating $20 to help us all year round," Ms Kiernan said.
Clean Up Australia is a registered charity, owned by the community.
Working with limited resources, Clean Up Australia relies on funds raised through donations to provide educational resources and clean up materials such as bags, gloves and other equipment free of charge to community, school and youth groups across the nation, throughout the year.
To register your Clean Up or make a donation go to cleanup.org.au
